What can a civilian ninja accomplish?
Just look at Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Both were born civilians, yet rose to become two of the Legendary Sannin—heroes of Konoha.
And right now, Namikaze Minato—Watergate—is another shining example.
His parents passed away when he was very young. They weren't shinobi, and Minato only entered the Ninja Academy by passing the entrance exam, almost by chance.
Before that, he had no formal training or knowledge of the shinobi arts.
Everything he's achieved so far has been through self-study and perseverance.
As is well known, the Academy curriculum focuses mainly on the basics: the Three Basic Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu, Kawarimi no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu), along with theoretical knowledge, taijutsu, and basic weapon training. Advanced ninjutsu is not taught.
This often results in a noticeable gap between civilian-born students and those from shinobi clans, who receive supplemental training at home.
But Minato Namikaze has completely flipped that narrative.
In his class, only Uchiha Tatsumi and Senju Nawaki are ahead of him in skill.
Now, standing in front of him is a student from the Sarutobi clan.
Minato quickly flicked a handful of shuriken with pinpoint accuracy, targeting the Sarutobi boy from unexpected angles.
Without slowing, he sprinted forward, closing the gap.
As the Sarutobi boy began to dodge, Minato sent another volley of shuriken mid-run.
Poof!
A log appeared midair—Substitution Jutsu!
But Minato didn't falter. He pivoted abruptly and threw a punch behind him.
Sure enough, his opponent had already tried to flank him from behind.
Minato's fist cut through the air, narrowly missing as his opponent dodged with a slight backward lean.
But Minato capitalized instantly—launching a kunai at close range and forcing the Sarutobi heir to retreat.
They locked eyes from across the platform—both cautious, yet determined. The Sarutobi boy hadn't expected this kind of pressure from a civilian student.
"Hmph!"
They clashed again. The sharp clang of kunai echoed as their silhouettes flashed across the training platform, trading blows and parries in rapid succession.
From the sidelines, Jiraiya watched with surprise and growing appreciation.
In the end, though Minato was bloodied and bruised, his tenacity didn't waver. His final strike sent his opponent sprawling—unconscious.
"Well done. Not bad at all." Jiraiya gave Minato an approving slap on the back. "You've got something special, kid."
"Go see Tsunade for treatment. You're walking a little wobbly."
"Thank you, Lord Jiraiya," Minato said with a smile.
The next two matches lacked much excitement—until the fourth round, when Uchiha Tatsumi stepped up.
"You got this, Tatsumi!" Mikoto cheered, clenching her small fists in support. Her sweet enthusiasm made her look especially cute.
"I know." Tatsumi grinned confidently.
As he adjusted his windbreaker with a casual flick, a wave of excited screams erupted from the girls in the audience.
"Tatsumi, you're so cool!"
"I love you!!"
Jiraiya raised a brow at the scene and muttered under his breath.
"Tch... not nearly this popular when I was a kid."
"..."
Tatsumi stepped casually onto the platform. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
A single feather appeared out of thin air and drifted gently down.
His opponent stared at it—and froze. Their body slumped over, sound asleep on the spot.
A cheer erupted around the field.
Even Jiraiya blinked in astonishment. "That's not a basic illusion... This kid's got skill."
What Tatsumi used wasn't the standard Nirvana Jutsu, which casts a sleep-inducing illusion over a wide area. Instead, it was a personalized genjutsu—one feather, one target.
This kind of single-target genjutsu requires refined chakra control and strong mental focus. For a second-year student, that's impressive.
While Minato's battle was full of grit, Tatsumi's performance was effortless and elegant.
"Tatsumi, are you okay?"
As he stepped down, Mikoto rushed up to him with concern on her face.
"All good. Nothing to worry about." Tatsumi patted her head in his usual nonchalant way.
That casual head-pat, in front of so many people, sent a wave of envy through Jiraiya—who had just taken 10,000 points of emotional damage.
"Why... whyyy..." he groaned, throwing his arms toward the sky in dramatic agony.
"What did I do wrong in life?!"
"These brats are already flirting in public... and I'm a fully trained shinobi who's still single! Tsunade won't even give me a proper date!"
Tatsumi's mischievous streak flared.
"Jiraiya-sama, Jiraiya-sama," he called out, waving him over conspiratorially. "Wanna know how to win over Tsunade-sama?"
Jiraiya instantly lit up. "Yes! Of course I do! Tell me!"
Tatsumi leaned in, his tone serious and secretive.
"Here's what you do: find her, grab her hand, push her against a wall... and kiss her."
"What?!"
"Trust me, she'll get flustered, but it'll show her how serious you are. You need to make the first move. That's what she's waiting for."
Jiraiya paled. "Won't she... hit me?"
Tatsumi shook his head solemnly. "With all due respect, Jiraiya-sama, you seem... scared of her. That's not how a legendary ninja acts, right?"
"Wrong! I'm not scared! If you think so, you've misjudged me, brat!"
He puffed up proudly. "On missions, Tsunade always listens to my orders. Ask Orochimaru!"
"Then go for it," Tatsumi egged him on. "If it works, that first kiss will change everything. You'll always be in her heart after that."
Jiraiya's eyes gleamed with hope. "If this works, even if you don't make the top three—I'll train you personally!"
Tatsumi only smirked.
"Geez, Tatsumi... you can't just mess with someone like that," Mikoto muttered, nudging him with an embarrassed flush before running off toward the arena.
"Good luck!" he called after her.
As for Jiraiya? Well... he'd been punched by Tsunade more than once before. What's one more?
"Hey, Tatsumi—what're you thinking about?"
Minato had returned after getting healed by Tsunade. As expected, her medical ninjutsu was top-tier—his serious wounds were nearly gone, save for a few bandages.
"I'm good. Tsunade-sama said I didn't need a full treatment. Just left a few bandages so I'd 'look cool for the girls'," Minato said, scratching his cheek with a sheepish grin.
Tatsumi gave him a deadpan look.
That's not flirting. She just didn't feel like healing you completely.
Only Minato would believe that with a straight face.
"Has Mikoto started already?" Minato asked.
"Yeah—she's the one up there now."